With it being the end of the year, many students across the country are finalizing their college plans for next year. Now that they know where they’re going, I’m sure they can readily remember the nerve-racking process of waiting to hear from their dream school. And Paul Weitz’s “Admission” takes on that perspective from an admission counselor’s point of view.
Tina Fey is a delight as Portia Nathan, a focused, organized and ambitious admissions officer at Princeton University and is vying for promotion to the prestigious Dean of Admissions position next year. In order to one up her rival Corinne (Gloria Reuben), she accepts an offer from John Pressman (Paul Rudd) to visit his “alternative” school and meet students. John happens to be a former classmate of Portia’s and while there, she meets Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), a prospective student with a troubled past who wants nothing more than to go to Princeton.
At first glance, Jeremiah is an obvious “reject” from Princeton, but once Portia learns something unique about him, she is willing to do anything in her power to get this sweet, but nerdy kid that acceptance letter.
Fey’s acting is great, deftly handling Portia’s emotional notes while finding the comedy in her neuroses. She does her best to bounce off Rudd, her opposite and romantic interest.
Rudd offers some laughs, but it often appears as he is acting in a different movie due to the quirky, free-spiritedness of his character. He just seems out of place at times.
Fey and Rudd’s bantering flirtation sparks up for a while, and then loses heat.
Fey fares far better with the wonderful and hilarious Lily Tomlin, the hippy-dippy feminist mother she can barely tolerate.
Director Weitz does his best at achieving the plot’s drastic, tonal shifts, but at least it’s an improvement from his recent “Little Fockers.”
Adapted by Karen Croner from a novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz, “Admission” is funny, sweet and sincere, but as with every college application, it has some flaws. It is a good view, but we are definitely going to have to put it on the “waitlist” for best comedy of the year.